My wife Michelle and I drove down to Moab in early October and decided to warm up with a couple towers in Arches National Park.
First off was Dark Angel, West Face (5.10+), a very prominent tower in the north of Arches, with a pleasant and scenic 3-mile approach.

Dark Angel is the prominent tower in the center.
Arches National Park, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

Dark Angel from the west. The route follows the center chimney to a short crack, then left to the horizon and up bolts to the top.
Arches National Park, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

The next day we met up with our friends Steph and Drew and hopped on the Three Penguins, Right Chimney (5.10c) a cool 2 pitch tower right over the road.

The Right Chimney Route ascends between the right and middle penguin.
The Three Penguins, Arches National Park, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

An enjoyable hand crack led to a fun off-width.

Elbow up on the first pitch of Right Chimney.
Three Penguins, Arches National Park, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

Steph leading the 5.10 offwidth on the second pitch.
The Three Penguins, Arches National Park, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

The next day we headed down to Valley of the Gods, a remote and desolate canyon just north of Mexican Hat.
The first day we all climbed Petard Tower, Hurley-Rearic Route (II 5.10-). It's a fun little route on a truly freestanding tower.

The east face of Petard Tower, a.k.a. Prairie Dog on a Mound.
Valley of the Gods, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

Steph leading the 5.10 3rd pitch just below the summit.
Petard Tower, Valley of the Gods, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

The next day Michelle and I climbed Putterman on the Throne, Supercalifragilisticexpialiputterman (III 5.9 C1) and Putterman in a Bathtub, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Putterworld (II 5.9 C1), while Steph and Drew climbed Eagle Plume Tower across the way. Both routes were super-cool and had awesome summits.

Putterman on the Throne (center, left) and Putterman in a Bathtub (center, right).
Valley of the Gods, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

Here's another shot with Eagle Plume Tower for perspective.

Putterman on the Throne (left), Putterman in a Bathtub (right), and Eagle Plume Tower (center).
Valley of the Gods, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

Looking down at Michelle from the summit of Putterman on the Throne.
Valley of the Gods, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

Michelle on top of Putterman in a Bathtub.
Valley of the Gods, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

The next day we climbed the ultra-classic Eagle Plume Tower, South Face (III 5.10), the Castle Tower of Valley of the Gods.

The south face of Eagle Plume Tower. The route follows the weakness in the center of the tower.
Valley of the Gods, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

While not as solid as its northerly neighbor, it offers thoughtful, sustained and varied climbing right to the summit.

Michelle coming up to the belay on top of pitch 3.
Eagle Plume Tower, Valley of the Gods, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

Michelle coming up the splitter 5.9 corner on the 4th and final pitch.
Eagle Plume Tower, Valley of the Gods, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

No trip to this part of the desert would be complete without a run up Mexican Hat, Bandito Route (C1)

The Bandito Route climbs up a 5-bolt ladder left of center.
Mexican Hat, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

Drew leading the Bandito bolt ladder.
Mexican Hat, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

On our way back north we decided to have a look at Magic Man, Prayer Stick (III, 5.10+) on Comb Ridge, a cool propped-up tower in the middle of nowhere.

The Prayer Stick, Comb Ridge, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

The 2nd pitch is the crux, a brutal wide crack that goes from 100' of fists and larger to a crux 10" section up high. Overall a super high-quality pitch though and a fun route overall.

A close up of Dolomite Spire (left) and Lighthouse Tower (right).
River Road, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

Dolomite was a nice mix of free and aid climbing.

Stoney leading the first pitch.
Kor Route, Dolomite Spire, River Road, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

Lighthouse started with a nice long 5.10 pitch, followed by a steep chimney.

Stoney hanging out in the chimney on Lonely Vigil.
Lighthouse Tower, River Road, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

The summit of Lighthouse is pretty small, just big enough for the three of us. The fun part was downclimbing back down off the summit, since there are no anchors on top.

Me starting the downclimb from the summit of Lighthouse Tower.
River Road, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

The next day we headed out to "scout" the route for the Doric Column out in the Mystery Towers. That afternoon we came back and climbed The Hindu, Maverick (II 5.9 C2), an excellent 2 pitch route on one of the best looking towers.

The Hindu, Onion Creek, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

Me leading the first pitch.
The Hindu, Maverick, Onion Creek, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

Later that evening we headed on over to the Fisher Towers and took a few laps on Lizard Rock, Entry Fee (5.8) and the other variation to the left.

Tom dynoing the crux.
Entry Fee, Lizard Rock, Fisher Towers, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

The next day we climbed Echo Tower, Phantom Spirit (IV 5.9 C2). This was one of the best aid route's I've done in the Fishers. It's pretty much all natural gear (no bolt ladders) and goes clean easily.

Phantom Spirit takes the stunning line on the left side of the tower.
Echo Tower, Fisher Towers, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

Me on the first pitch of Phantom Spirit.
Echo Tower, Fisher Towers, Utah.

That afternoon we took some laps on some of the towers beneath Ancient Art. We climbed Boxtop (5.10), The Cobra (5.11), and the two shorter towers just west of the Cobra, one of which was just a boulder problem, the other actually had some hard, loose climbing. (Edit: Anyone know the names of these two?)

Me atop Boxtop.
Fisher Towers, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

Tom leading the Cobra, before it threatened to fall over...
Fisher Towers, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

A warning to all about the Cobra: the Cobra shuttered and swayed twice, while we were on it. I've never heard of or had that do that before. Fun times...

The next mission was River Tower, North Face (III 5.8 C2), a really cool tower just north of the Fishers, made of the same Cutler sandstone. The route is a good introductory to this type of climbing with no real difficulties, but a nice location and great views.

Stoney leading the first pitch.
North Face, River Tower, Fisher Towers, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

Stoney on the first pitch, amidst a sea of cutler.
North Face, River Tower, Fisher Towers, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

On top of River Tower.
Fisher Towers, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

That afternoon we drove down the road and climbed Crooked Arrow Spire, Longbow Chimney (III 5.8 C1). This has got to have one of the funnest (and easiest) chimneys in the desert.

The route climbs up the obvious deep chimney, then up a bolt ladder to the summit.
Longbow Chimney, Crooked Arrow Spire, Parriott Mesa, Utah.

Next it was another quick visit to Arches. Both Stoney and Tom had already climbed Tower of Babel, Zenyatta Entrada (IV 5.8 C3), but agreed to let me short-fix them up it. It was a great 3 hour session of excellent straight-forward clean aid climbing.

Zenyatta Entrada climbs straight up the middle of the face.
The Tower of Babel, Arches National Park, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

Looking down from around the 4th pitch.
Zenyatta Entrada, Tower of Babel, Arches National Park, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

Another rest day, then our final destination was to be Canyonlands. First order of business was Charlie Horse Needle, North Face (5.10 C1). Wingate climbing is nice too.

Charlie Horse Needle is the right most tower.
Canyonlands National Park, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

Stoney leading the second pitch.
North Face, Charlie Horse Needle, Canyonlands National Park, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

Next we ghost rode the whip around the White Rim to do Tiki Tower, Brave Little Toaster (III 5.9 C1). Tiki is a little known tower that sits on the western end of a ridge of forming towers behind the larger Airport Tower.

Tom on top of pitch one of Tiki Tower.
Canyonlands National Park, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

Stoney leading the tension traverse on pitch 2 of the Brave Little Toaster.
Tiki Tower, Canyonlands National Park, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

On the summit of Tiki Tower.
Canyonlands National Park, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

One of the main objectives of this trip for me was Islet in the Sky, Original Route (IV 5.10 C3), one of the best looking towers out there and with a real big-wall feel.

Islet in the Sky, Canyonlands National Park, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

After a wandering and sustained 5.10 hand/fist crack on the first pitch, the climb does a horizontal traverse left out onto the north wall of the tower, giving it a real airy feel. It then climbs a 2 pitch splitter seam, then a short free pitch to the summit.

Stoney leading the 2nd pitch horizontal traverse onto the tower.
Original Route, Islet in the Sky, Canyonlands National Park, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

Me looking down the thin 3rd pitch.
Original Route, Islet in the Sky, Canyonlands National Park, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

The shadow of Islet in the Sky.
Canyonlands National Park, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

Another huge objective for me was the Pixie Stick (III C3). My friend Dougald (who made the first ascent with Paul Gagner), turned me on to this slender little spire in a remote section of Monument Basin.

The Pixie Stick, Monument Basin, Canyonlands National Park, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

The Pixie Stick, Monument Basin, Canyonlands National Park, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

I got to lead both pitches, Tom belayed, and Stoney took the photos.

Me starting up the first pitch.
The Pixie Stick, Monument Basin, Canyonlands National Park, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

Me at the crux of the 2nd pitch.
The Pixie Stick, Monument Basin, Canyonlands National Park, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

What a really cool climb - and still awaiting a free ascent...

On the summit!
The Pixie Stick, Monument Basin, Canyonlands National Park, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

While we were out there we found a splitter 200' hand crack on the White Rim that we each took a turn soloing...

Finally it was time for some free climbing on The Mock Turtle, Mud Wrestling (IV 5.10+). The Mock Turtle is the highest free-standing tower in Monument Basin, and is uniquely capped by five feet of the white rim sandstone.

View of Monument Basin. The Mock Turtle is the center tower. Staggering rock is in the left distance and Bruce Smith is on the right.
Canyonlands National Park, Utah.

Credit: Joe Puryear

A got sandbagged into linking the first two crux pitches together into one mega 190' mud fest. "Yeah Joe, just keep climbing, you can make it to those next anchors..."